The frontman contacted Andrew Youssef via FaceTime before the encore at a show in Las Vegas over the weekend. Rolling Stone reports that Youssef, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2011, had previously been in contact with Reznor after the frontman reached out to him via Twitter, adding that Reznor had invited the Los Angeles-based photographer to shows and rehearsals, and been out to lunch with him.

Reznor had invited Youssef to the Vegas show, but he was too ill to make the trip, so before the band’s encore he contacted him via FaceTime. Reznor spoke to the crowd after making the call, saying: “You probably saw me on my phone when I walked out for the encore and were like, ‘What the fuck is he up to?'” Nine Inch Nails then played ‘In This Twilight’, a song which Youssef had written on his blog particularly resonated with him after receiving his terminal diagnosis.

Nine Inch Nails play a UK arena tour in May of next year. Tickets go on general sale on November 22 at 9am. Support on all dates comes from Cold Cave.